25 Manic and Mind-Blowing ‘Are You Experienced’ Facts

It’s hard to overestimate the importance of Are You Experienced in rock history. The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s debut album was a game-changer for rock guitarists, a mind-mending collection of songs and sounds, a sonic embodiment of psychedelic 1967 and the Summer of Love. So we’re delving into 25 Manic and Mind-Blowing Are You Experienced Facts

The making of one of rock’s greatest albums is layered with interesting history, some of it related to how quickly the record came into being. This all happened in about nine months: Hendrix went from leading Jimmy James and the Blue Flames in New York clubs to agreeing to be managed by former Animals bassist Chas Chandler. He moved to England, forming a band with Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell. He began to make a serious effort at songwriting, penning the likes of “Purple Haze,” “The Wind Cries Mary” and “Foxy Lady.” He and the newly christened Jimi Hendrix Experience quickly record a ton of tracks and land three Top 10 U.K. hits. They release an album that goes to No. 2 in England, only bested by the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper.

Oh, and Hendrix conjured both love and confusion by astounding the British and American rock establishments with the Experience’s live performances. He alters how nearly every guitarist on the third stone from the sun will approach the instrument for the next 50 years, and beyond.

That’s a pretty crazy legacy for an album first released on May 12, 1967. Let’s wander through the fire and the haze to discover more manic and mind-blowing Are You Experienced facts.